The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-11-26
FsRRETs IN STORES.
They Keep Out the Rats and save Many
Thousands of DUilara.

Thousands Of Doiiars.
II am going down to buy some
trained ferrets," said White street dry
goods merchant to a reporter.
"What for?"
"Well my store from basement to
roof is infested with rats. and they do
incalculable mischief. For instance,
this morning we found piece Of silk
worth sixty dollars completely destroyed
by the rats having gnawed through it.
have had cats and dogs in the build
ing. but they have proved useless, rs
they can not go where rat can. Twas
In England last summer and visited in
London several Of the largest dry goods
stores. In the course of conversation
with the proprietors 1 learned from
them that they had in their employ
ferret-kcepcr, whose duties are to tend
to the animals and keep tho warehouses
clear of rats.
"In one large house, which is literally
packed from cellar to roof with cases
Of silk, satns and general dry goods, l
was taken to the garret. where found
in specially designed space several
small and snug kennels surrounded by
finely-wired fences. Here saw some
thirty ferrets, curled up asleep or
moving around in that snakc-like man.
ner characteristic of them.
"I wouldn't take one hundred
pounds for these remarked the gentle
man who accompanied me, for theyhave
saved me many thousands of pounds
since have had them He then sent
for the keeper, who entered the inclos-
ure; he called the ferrets by name and
each answered him by running toward
him. He took them up and played
with them rs with u pet dog, and they
made no attempt to bite him. He here
explained how they were trained to an
swer his call or whistle and always
after killing rat to drag it out of its
hole and leave it where it could be
readily found. The gentleman then
directed the keeper to get few rats,
which he soon brought from big cage
in which they were kept. They were.
truly speaking, thorough out-and-out
ugly, vicious specimens of the London
rat. The keeper threw q half dozen
into the inclosure, and quicker than
thought the ferrets had pounced upon
them and killed them.
when returned from Europe de-
termined to initiate my English cousin,
and l have had similar pen con-
structed on the top floor of my building,
and l am now going to see about the
ferrets."
The reporter accompanied the mer.
chant to Fulton street vermin de.
stroyer store. There in large wired
cages and kennels were ferrets of al
colors and cost. Some were to be haC
for five dollars a pair, others fol
twenty dollars and even more. The
latter were of sun-brown color, o
great strength and extraordinary IA
pidity of movement. They answered
the dealers call and seemed pleased a
his petting them.
, An attendant who WAS spoken t.
brought out what, when put together
made regular rat-pit, the sides o
which were smeared with blood. At
; signal he dropped in half a dozen fierce
looking rats, and then the two ferret
3 were thrown in. In less than tw,
: minutes the rats were stretched life
less and bleeding. Other ferrcts wer
then tried. but the younger and les
experienced and trained oues could no
kill as quickly as the older and bette
: trained ones. The merchant bough
half q dozen of the older ones, which
1 after they have got accustomed t.
9 their new home, will be allowed t.
wander through the great warehous
l. at night.
: "They will soon learn to know tn
place and answer to the CALL" said tn
seller, land l will wager they will 500
make rats scarce in the building."-
5 N. Y. Star.